Lamine Yamal took the championship with a stunning goal and an assist. Cabrera attacked him and was sent away. Fermín sealed the Blaugrana victory.
Barcelona's worst performance of the season finally closed a LaLiga title to remember. It was a strange game, with Espanyol the better team for long pieces. But Barça had something that their rivals had not done: a genius with a super power called Lamine Yamal. He only appeared in flashes, but that was enough to decide a championship. He scored a goal that had to be placed in a museum, was flagrant attacked by Cabrera – who left his team a man in frustration – and later the assist supplied Fermín on 0-2 and handed the title to Flick's side. The Barça team had to sprint to the dressing room under a hail of the home team, which kept on the field to celebrate … something. Exactly what is unclear, beyond a tough match that leaves them only two points above relegation.
Fans of Barcelona and Espanyol anticipating the post competition that comes out
The structure of the competition was when switching on your pants for your underwear. The city of Barcelona woke up and did not talk about the game itself, but about how one team would celebrate the title and how the other would react. It seemed that both fan bases were more interested in the Postgame drama than in the game. Flick, for his part, had always said in the run -up: “It is not a good idea to think about celebrating.” It turns out that he was completely right, although it is not as if they had a good chance anyway.
That feeling of anticipation was probably not shared by the managers, who both release the best line -ups they could, given the absence they were dealing with. Flick already knew that he would not have Iñigo Martínez because of suspension. Then, on the day before the game, Ferran Torres was excluded with Appendicitis, and Cubarsí had to leave the training after a knock from Lewandowski – who, even though he was not completely fit, returned to the starting XI, hoping to close the gap on Mbappé in the Race Top Scorer title.
Espanyol -boss Manolo González went into everything and started the core on the side that had caused the team's revival in the second half of the season. Pol Lozano returned – an important player for the home team – while Král, still caused an injury, was not even on the couch.
Pressure of Espanyol
If there is one thing that Espanyol can never be accused of lack, it is intensity – and they have brought it more than normal. In the first half they won almost every individual duel, which forced Barça's most technically gifted players in sloppy accents and bad steps.
That pressure translated into real opportunities. Manolo had already demonstrated in the reverse match at Montjuïc that he had found out how he could break Barça's offside trap by pushing midfield runners past the line. Espanyol held on to that strategy, and only four minutes inside, Urko broke through but sent his shot wide. At the point of 15 minutes, Pueedo also had a clear opportunity, but Szczesny was great for Barça.
As far as Barça is concerned, there was little to report. And Lamine Yamal? Nothing in the first half. But in the second he owns the spotlights. Raphinha and Pedri tried at a distance, but the attack looked old and the backline continued to struggle against Espanyol's eruptions from Tempo.
Even after Baldo came up in the second half, the pattern remained the same. Araújo was wounded and Cubarsí came in to stabilize the ship a bit, but the game remained wide open – until Lamine stepped in and everything changed with a moment of genius that even Joan García could not stop.
Lamine, again
But even at 0-1, Barça did not fully check the match. Even after Cabrera had attacked it and Lamine Yamal had attacked, leaving his team to ten men. Espanyol's energy did not fall – in fact, if there was anything, it seemed that Barça was the one who was a man lower and still lost every duel.
Until Lamine rubbed the lamp again – and Fermín closed the door on Laliga.
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